Integral coping and walk for swimming pools



Sept. 2, 1969 c. J. HAUCK 3,464,067

INTEGRAL COPING AND WALK FOR SWIMMING POOLS Filed June 30. 1967 9 HINVENTOR.

CHHPLE'J fi wc P/YEJC United States Patent 3,464,067 INTEGRAL COPING ANDWALK FOR SWIMMING POOLS Charles J. Hauck, 112 Heller Way, UpperMontclair, NJ. 07043 Filed June 30, 1967, Ser. No. 650,429

Int. Cl. E04h 3/16 US. Cl. 4172 13 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREThis invention relates to an integral coping and wall. Moreparticularly, this invention relates to an integral coping and walk forpools, and still more particularly, to an integral coping and walk stripmade of resin impregnated glass fiber.

The use of family-size swimming pools have come into popular use,especially those of the transportable type which are either set in placein a suitable excavation or set partially on the ground above the groundsurface. Generally, in the construction of the facilities for theseswimming pools, after the swimming pools have been set in place, awalkway has been constructed around the periphery of the pools. In mostinstances, the edge of the walkways have been brought close to theperiphery of the pools such that a minimum of space is allowed to existbetween the walkway and pool. This avoids any large spaces between thewalkway and pool in which the swimmers using the pool might catch a toeor foot. However, in most cases, the adjacent surfaces of the pools andwalkways have not had an uninterrupted cover over the space between thepools and walkways.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to cover the adjacentsurfaces of a swimming pool and a walkway around the pool.

It is another object of the invention to provide an integral coping andwalk strip to cover a portion of sidewall of a swimming pool and theadjacent surfaces between a walkway and the swimming pool.

It is another object of the invention to provide a cover between atransportable swimming pool and adjacent walkway with a non-skidsurface.

It is another object of the invention to provide an integral coping andwalk strip which is easily installed in place.

It is another object of the invention to provide a lightweightwater-resistant coping and walk strip for a transportable swimming pool.

Briefly, the invention provides an integral coping and walk strip for atransportable swimming pool which is constructed of a plurality ofsections. Each section is formed with a generally channel shapedcross-section with one leg of the section being rounded in a manner tooverlie and abut the top of the side wall of the swim- "Iceming pool.The other leg of each section is substantially vertical so as to act asan anchor for the section. The sections of the integral coping and walkstrip are made of water-resistant material such as resin-impregnatedglass fibers and are of relatively high strength while being ofrelatively low weight. In addition, the walk portion of the sections areprovided with a roughened surface to lie alongside the perimeter of theswimming pool to act as a non-skid walk surface.

In one embodiment of the invention where the sections of the strip areto be placed over a swimming pool and a surrounding peripheral walkwayformed of wooden planks, the legs of each section are positioned 'inabutment with the inside sidewall of the swimming pool and between theplanks of the walkways so as to bridge the space between the swimmingpool and walkway. Succeeding sections of the strip are placed togetheralong the periphery of the swimming pool and secured to each other bymeans of nuts and bolts in water-tight relation. {For this purpose, thesections have depending flanges which are provided with holes forpassage of the bolts when two adjacent sections are in alignment.

When in place, the integral coping and walk strip forms a cover over thespace between the edge of the swimming pool and the surrounding walkway.In addition, the surfaces of the strip are such as to retain the waterin the swimming pool while also being able to direct any water which issplashed out of the pool off the strip.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become moreapparent from the following detailed description and appended claimstaken in conjunction with the accomanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a section of the integralcoping and walk strip of the invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the strip of FIG. 1 inplace over a swimming pool and walkway;

FIG. 3 illustartes a cross-sectional view of a pair of depending flangesof adjacent strip sections bolted together, and

FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of a coping and walk strip sectionof curved configuration.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, integral coping and Walk section 10 isformed with a pair of longitudinally disposed depending flanges 11, 12along the edges so as to define a substantially channel-shapedcross-section. One of the flanges 11 is of rounded shape and defines theouter edge of a raised coping portion 13 of the section 10, whereas theother flange '12 is of flat shape and defines the outer edge of a walkportion 14 of the section 10. The coping portion 13 and walk portion 14which are disposed in different elevational planes from each other arejoined at adjacent edges by a rounded shoulder .15 of smoothtransitional contour which is capable of maintaining water on the walkportion 14 away from the coping portion 13.

The surface of the coping portion 13 is substantially smooth and even toact as a suitable cover for the periphsurfaces of the section are coatedas with a gel coating 16 in order to have a color and permanent finishimparted to the section 10.

The flange 11 of the coping portion 13 is rounded on an are having acenter disposed away from the section 10 and is of a length which aresuitable to act as a splashback, that is, the flange 11 is adapted todirect an upward surge of water from a swimming pool along the surfaceof the flange in a reversed direction back into the swimming pool. Theflange 12 of the walk portion 14, on the other hand, is substantiallystraight so as, for example, to pass between the planks of a walkwayscaffold surrounding a swimming pool.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, inorder to secure adjacent sections 10together, each section 10 is provided with a pair of transverselydisposed depending plates ;17, 18, which extend substantially across thewalk portion. Each plate .17, 18 is provided with a plurality of holes19 which are arranged so as to be in aligned position with correspondingholes in the plate of the adjacent section 10. A suitable nut and boltassembly 20 is provided for each pair of aligned holes 19 to fasten theplates 17, 18, of adjacent sections 10 together as shown in FIG.

In order to make an integral coping and wall section 10, a plurality oflayers of glass fiber cloth are laid on a suitable mold form having amold surface which is generally of the contour of the inner surface of afinished section. As each layer of glass fiber cloth is laid in place, asuitable resin is coated over the cloth to saturate and impregnate thefibers of the cloth. After a desired thickness of resin-impregnatedglass fiber cloth has been built up on the mold form, the mold form isplaced within a suitable mold. Then, a mold die which has a contourcomplementary to the surface of the finished section 10 is brought downonto the exposed surfaces of the resinimpregnated glass fiber cloth.Next, suflicient pressure is applied between the mold form and mold dieto shape the glass fibers and suflicient heat is imparted to the resinby a suitable heating means as is known, to cure the resin and set theglass fibers in place. Thereafter, the mold is opened and the molding isremoved. After removal from the mold, the holes for the nut and boltassemblies are cut or otherwise formed in the transverse plates of themolding. The gel coating 16 is then applied to the molding to completethe making of the coping and walk section 10.

Alternatively, instead of using glass fiber cloth to make the coping andwalk section, bundles of glass fiber rovings or filaments can be used.In such instances, the rovings or filaments are disposed in a manner soas to impart sufficient strength to the depending flanges and'surfacesof the finished section.

Referring to FIG. 2, when put in place about a swimming pool 21 having,for example, an outwardly extending lip 22 and a surrounding walkway 23made of spaced wooden planks 24, the coping and walk strip 10 is laidover adjacent portions of the pool 21 and walkway 23. That is, thedepending rounded flange 11 of the coping portion 13 is a-butted againstthe side wall 25 of the pool 21 while the surface of the coping portion13 is disposed over and on the lip 22 of the pool 21. Also, thedepending flange 12 of the walk portion 14 is inserted between a pair ofspaced planks 24 of the walkway 23. Preferably, the sections 10 areabout as long as the sections of planks used in constructing the walkway23 so that the transverse plates 17, 18 of adjacent sections fit betweenthe ends of these plank sections. Once a pair of adjacent sections 10have been put in place and aligned, the nut and bolt assemblies areutilized to secure the sections 10 together to provide stability.

Referring to FIG. 4, an integral coping and walk section 10' is made ofarcuate configuration to conform to the rounded corners of a swimmingpool structure as above. The coping and walk section 10' is similar in 14, structure to the above described straight section 10 and likereference characters have been used to designate like parts.

It is noted that the integral coping and walk sections can be of anyconfiguration so as to conform to differently shaped segments ofvariously designed swimming pools.

Also, it is noted that when the coping and walk strip is used with aninground pool, the strip can be supported on any means such as earth, abed of sand or set into concrete; In the latter case, the strip providesthe advantage that the concrete does not require any finishing such thatthe swimming pool can be used immediately after setting of the stripsections.

The inventionprovides an integral coping and walk strip which is made insections for placement around swimming pools; The sections of the stripare made of lengths and weights so as to be manually handled in an easyand rapid manner. Further, the sections are made of water-resistant highstrength glass fiber reinforced plastic materials so as to be relativelylong lasting. In those instances when it is desirable to take up thecoping and walk strip, such can easily be accomplished in a simplemanner.

What is claimed is:

1. An integral coping and walk strip for a swimming pool comprising aplurality of sections, each of'said sections having a first dependingflange and a second depending flange at the opposite ends thereof, saidfirst flange being rounded on an are having a center disposed away fromsaid walk strip to act as a splashback, a raised coping portion adjacentsaid first fiange, a Walk portion adjacent said second flange and ashoulder intermediately of said first and second flanges joining saidcoping portion and walk portion to each other; and means connectingadjacent sections together.

2. An integral coping and walk strip as set forth in claim 1, whereinsaid walk portion of said section has a roughened surface.

3. An integral coping and walk strip as set forth in claim 1, whereinsaid shoulder is rounded to maintain Water on said walk portion awayfrom said coping portion.

4. An integral coping and walk strip as set forth in claim 1, whereineach of said sections further has a pair of depending plates disposedacross the ends of said walk portion, and said means connects one ofsaid plates of one section to another of said plates of another section.

5. An integral coping and walk strip as set forth in claim 4, whereinsaid means includes at least one nut and bolt assembly.

6.,An integral coping and walk strip as set forth in claim 1, whereineach of said sections is composed of resin-impregnated fiber glass.

7. An integral coping and walk strip as set forth in claim 6, whereinsaid section is of generally channelshaped cross-section, and said walkportion has a roughened surface.

8.'An integral coping and walk strip as set forth in claim 7, wherein'atleast one of said sections is of straight configuration.

9. An integral coping and walk strip as set forth in claim 7, wherein atleast one of said sections is of arcuate side wall, a walk portionhaving a roughened surface adjacent said raised coping portion, anintermediately disposed shoulder connecting said coping portion and walkportions together and a second flange depending from said walk portionat the opposite end of said section, and means connecting adjacentsections together in water-tight relation.

11. The combination as set forth in claim 10 wherein said sections areeach composed of resin-impregnated fiber glass.

12. The combination as set forth in claim 10 further comprising awalkway about said side wall in spaced relation thereto, said walkwayincluding a plurality of spaced planks wherein each said section issupported on said walkway and each said second flange depends betweenadjacent planks of said walkway.

13. The combination as set forth in claim 10 further comprising meansabout the periphery of said side wall supporting said sections of saidcoping and walk strip.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS 4/ 1967 GreatBritain.

15 LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner HENRY K. ARTIS, AssistantExaminer US. Cl. X.R.

